Cycling with Lysofoss

[jaginn]

Hi

I'm about to start cycling a small new tank after not having one for years, so my memory is a bit rusty. The guy at my LFS sold me a product called Lysofoss to cycle the tank. Does this sound right? I have previously dosed pure ammonia similarly to the sticky thread in this forum. Do I need to find some ammonia again to dose, and if so, do I even need the Lysofoss?

Slightly unrelated, but some of the Lysofoss does not appear to breaking down and the dark substrate now is covered in white flecks. Is this normal after a few days?

Thanks,
John

 

[Essjay]

I've not come across lysofoss before but as all the hits in google are Australian and I'm in the UK that isn't surprising.

I would be inclined to dose ammonia as well. If the lysofoss works, it will speed things up. If it doesn't, you haven't harmed any fish.
If it is a while since your last fishless cycle, you'll find the method in the How To Tips is different from the older 'add ammonia every time it drops to zero' method; the method on here was written so that nitrite can never get high enough to stall the cycle if followed to the letter. But if you do add ammonia, don't put any plants in till the cycle has finished as they don't like a lot of ammonia in the water.


However, you mentioned in another thread that you intend to moderately plant the tank. With enough well growing plants it is possible to avoid cycling with ammonia. Plants prefer ammonia as fertiliser, and will take up the ammonia made by fish before the bacteria get a chance. Provided there are enough plants and the tank is stocked slowly you can avoid the need for cycling. You should of course keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels just in case. Floating plants are ideal for this as they take up ammonia quickly - they are near the lights and they can use CO2 from the air.